Authorities at a checkpoint between Austria and Italy refused to recognise his Bermuda passport -- and even tried to confiscate it.

Because of the hold-up, an eight-hour trip home turned into a 25-hour ordeal, including panic-stricken train and taxi rides.

Mr. Talbot, bar manager at Elbow Beach's Cafe Lido, left the Island on February 14. He flew to Innsbruck in Austria.

He was met there by a friend and they drove to a nearby ski village, across the border in Italy.

"I had no problem getting there and had an absolutely fabulous holiday,'' he told The Royal Gazette .

On Monday he set off on the return trip, crossing easily through Italian controls. But at the Austrian border near Innsbruck Mr. Talbot found he could not re-enter the country to catch his flight home.

"My friend from Italy and myself handed over our documents. We were held there for two hours before they would even respond.

"Then they said they were sorry but they didn't recognise the Bermuda passport. They looked in their logbook and said there was no such thing.'' A senior Italian police official, who happened to be on the scene, insisted the men be given their documents back so they could return to Italy.

Mr. Talbot said he tried to call the British consul for advice -- but only got an answering service.

He then called his friend in Bermuda Ms Marlyn Eastmond, owner of Down to Earth health food store in Reid Street.

She contacted German honorary consul Ms Judy Gibbons, Premier the Hon.

Sir John Swan and then Deputy Governor Mr. John Kelly for help.

Mr. Kelly gave Mr. Talbot some phone numbers. But these contacts gave "no satisfaction'', said Mr. Talbot.

He eventually decided it was best to get to Zurich airport in Switzerland by land, and fly home from there. This meant a 12-hour night-time train journey through Italy.

Mr. Talbot could not sleep because he had to change trains three times. Then he found out the last leg of the train trip had been cancelled, which meant a $50 taxi ride to another station so he could pick up an alternative service to the airport.

Finally, on Wednesday morning, he crossed into Switzerland with no problems and arrived at Zurich airport.

After paying a $100 penalty on his plane ticket, which had now expired, he flew home via New York. He arrived back in Bermuda at 11.30 p.m. on Wednesday.

"It's just been a total nightmare,'' said Mr. Talbot, 44. "I was scared and my money was run out.'' Mr. Talbot has since heard from his Italian friend that the Austrian authorities had decided to let him in -- if he acquired a visa.

But he said that before he left the Island, he was advised by his travel agent that he did not need one for Austria.

Ms Eastmond said she had been very concerned for her friend. "He was sick to his stomach,'' she said.

"Bermudians have got to know that this can happen to them. There's a breakdown somewhere in the system.

"Can you imagine a family with children and that happening to them? "The fact that they didn't recognise the Bermuda passport is really serious. If we went independent we wouldn't even have Britain on the passport. What would we do then?'' Dr. Martin Brewer, Government assistant chief immigration officer, said there was an agreement between Britain and Austria that Bermudians did not need visas to enter Austria.

"But our advice would be to get one anyway. With Bermuda being a small country, when the officials at borders come across such a passport they don't recognise it. They're confused by it and don't apply the rules they should apply.

"It's been a chronic problem and it's one that the Minister for Delegated Affairs has been dealing with. I know he has had some success.

"I'm sorry to hear of a case like this one. These things happen at borders to nationals of all countries, but more to Bermudians because the Country is unknown in most parts of the world.

"It's always advisable to have a visa, even if you don't need one.'' Mr. Novel Talbot.